WEMA Bank, through its ALAT platform, is set to hold a pitch session and a three-day boot camp at Babcock University, located at Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.
According to the bank, this is part of its tech funding ‘pitch-athon’, Hackaholics, an initiative which was established to provide financial and business skills to tech businesses.
It said participants would be exposed to creative, technical, and business aspects of innovation in specially curated sessions with innovators, venture capitalists, and its team.
In a statement, the Chief Digital Officer, Wema Bank, Olusegun Adeniyi, stated, “In line with our value proposition as the No. 1 Digital bank in Nigeria, we are happy to hold the third edition of the Hackaholics which will provide up to N5 million in financial grants, empower young techpreneurs through a unique capacity building program.
“This ‘pitch-a-thon’ is designed to take place across three centres in Nigeria with the aim of giving as many young Nigerians as possible an opportunity to pitch their ideas to an incredible crop of experienced innovators.
“ALAT by Wema has been one of the leading advocates for youth economic empowerment in Nigeria and the drive to support the young tenacious Nigerian is the key motivation for many of our youth-centred initiatives like the Hackaholics.”
According to the Head of Innovation, Wema Bank, Solomon Ayodele, the firm has developed a process that will draw out the best ideas that embody its values and meet the objectives of the competition.
He added, “Interested persons who meet the criteria are required to fill an online application. Based on the viability of their ideas, candidates will then be selected through a meticulous process led by a credible panel of business experts. Ten finalists will be shortlisted for the pitch process, and from those, our experts will pick the final three who would represent the pitch centre at the grand finale later in the year.
“Asides from the funding made available to the winners, there will be a series of mentorship sessions to help the winners bring their ideas to life.”
The firm added that this was its second pitch session with the first holding at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo.
